I Remember
by Candaru
Summary: Adrien reminisces on his childhood growing up with Chloé, why he always saw her as a friend, and why he continues to look out for her despite all that she's done. (S2 spoilers. My hot take on Adrien and Chloé's friendship; no shipping; rated T for safety.)


Sometimes, I look back on when we were little and remember the way things used to be.

I remember the days when I'd jump up and down with glee at the sound of your car pulling into the heavily guarded driveway. I'd throw my schoolwork to the side and bound down the stairs, ignoring Nathalie's exasperated cries not to. The front door would open and you'd race inside just as soon as you were able, leaving your butler behind to speak a few short words with Nathalie about when to pick you up. We'd never stay to listen, we'd just run upstairs with the happiest of laughs to play in my room. I always wanted to play with the little basketball hoop hanging on my door, but you always convinced me to play dress-up with you instead. I was usually a prince or a knight in shining armor, which I liked better because knights got to ride off and fight evil dragons who kidnapped princesses like you. You loved to wear whatever gowns you could get your hands on, even the ones that were far too big for you. Then in our grown-up fantasy attire, the two of us would sneak ever so quietly into my father's room and steal some of the jewelry off my mother's counter. This part was dangerous, but it was also the most fun. We'd take our treasure back to my room and you'd put it on, always asking why you couldn't model with me, it would be so much fun. Sometimes I actually tried to get Father to agree to the idea, but in those days he wouldn't even look at me, let alone speak to me. If I tried to ask him something, Nathalie would take me gently by the shoulders lead me out of the room, saying my father was very busy and if I needed something I should just ask her. I cried a lot in those days, but never around Nathalie if I could help it. No, I always went to you for my comfort. When you were over and I ran up to my room with angry tears in my eyes, you'd hold me close and tell me that my daddy was a meaniepants, and that his outfit was ridiculous, and that I shouldn't let him upset me because he wasn't worth the trouble. Somehow your angry slanders at him always made me feel a bit better— not really because I agreed, but because it was nice to have someone on my side. It's hard to remember, but I think once or twice you started crying with me, too, and then denied it immediately afterwards.

I remember when Nathalie would call us down for lunch, and even in those days you always ordered sushi and then told me that my chef didn't make it as good as yours did. You'd cross the table and hold my seat out for me, saying here, sit next to me! And I always did, and I always liked that you wanted to sit near me. I would eat my PB&J with the crusts cut off, and you would eat your not-as-good sushi, and we would talk about what we wanted to do when we grew up. Nathalie sometimes scolded us for talking with our mouths full, but I think she overlooked it more often than not. You told me you wanted to be a model like me when you were full-grown, and that you'd get to wear pretty jewels like my mom did all the time. I said I wanted to be a knight in shining armor, which you always said wasn't a _real_ job, so I'd say, okay then, a superhero, and for some reason I don't ever remember you refuting that one. It's funny looking back on it now. I think I would've given _anything_ to be able to escape from my room and run around Paris at night fighting bad guys, and back then it wouldn't even occur to me that I might not be doing it alone. We finished our lunches and left our dishes for Nathalie or the chef or that one other servant that got fired a long time ago, I don't even remember who did them. I don't think we ever cared enough to check. We were so excited to get back to playing.

I remember you'd cry when you had to leave. It wasn't _real_ tears, you always whispered to me, but darn were they convincing. We started this sort of game where we'd hug each other good-bye and then pretend that we were stuck together with invisible glue, so we couldn't leave, oh no, guess you'd have to stay with me! And then your butler would pull us apart— one time you held on so tightly Nathalie actually had to come over and help— and you'd blow me kisses through the window as you were driven away. After a while of doing that, Nathalie told us we couldn't use invisible glue anymore or we wouldn't be allowed to play together, so we changed it to an invisible rope that was tied around us. Then it was an invisible box, and then an invisible pair of handcuffs, and by then Nathalie gave up and waved you off with her hand over her mouth to hide her expression and I think that's the only memory I have of ever seeing her laugh.

I didn't get to see you as much once you started going to school. Goodness how I pleaded with Father to let me attend with you, but he always had the same answer, it was too dangerous, he would _not_ have me running around that dangerous world, and when I asked why it wasn't dangerous for you to go he said it was none of his business what your parents did with you. We still saw each other on weekends, sometimes, but I always had fencing or Chinese or another class right afterwards so that our time together was limited. I was real melancholic about that, but I think in the back of my mind I was also figuring out that you were changing somehow, that or I'd just never noticed the way you talked about other kids before. You were always so nice to me it never even occurred to me that you weren't just as polite and affectionate with everybody else.

That's why I remember, when I finally came running into the classroom on the first day, I was shocked beyond belief that you were putting gum on another student's seat. In my mind I figured maybe she must've done something to deserve it, but it still didn't seem like you to get revenge. I was aware by now that you were stuck-up, maybe, sure, but not _mean._ It was even more confusing when the student whose desk it was walked in and seemed like a pretty nice person. She even brought macarons for everyone, although she tripped and they spilled all over the floor. You laughed and seemed to think it was funny. I was really confused that day, and to be honest I don't think I would've even wanted to stay in school after that if it weren't for Nino taking me under his protection.

It's been a long time since then, and we've both changed a lot. My lunchtime daydreams are now a daily reality, and somehow you ended up getting roped into them too. I realized you weren't the person I always thought you were, but lately, little by little, I think you might be starting to make your way back to becoming her. I know I was wrong about you having a heart of gold, but you _do_ have a heart, and I'm starting to remember why I liked having you as my friend in the first place. You're still stuck-up and you'd still probably steal my mom's jewelry if I let you, but every once in a while something will happen and a memory will flash in the back of my mind where I'd misplaced it. I once saw you slipping a gift to Ms. Bustiere and I suddenly remembered a time right after you'd gotten your first phone, when you called me in the middle of the night crying because you had a nightmare about your mom. Or the time I caught you pretending to be Ladybug, and recalled that for a short period of time, I'd convinced you out of your modeling dreams to be a superhero with me instead.

You're not the person I thought you were. But that's okay, because when I think about the past I realize the person that you _could_ be. I don't see Chloé Bourgeois, newbie superhero who tries to boss around her superiors, but Chloé Bourgeois, my _friend,_ and a girl who's learning how to open up her heart again, just like I did. I see how your eyes light up when somebody praises you for doing the right thing, and I know that deep down you're trying to reconcile that with everything else that you've been taught about manipulating people and spilling secrets and buying friendship. Well, I want to remind you that only people like Hawkmoth trick others for their power, and that I never told anybody about how you couldn't sleep at night without your teddy bear, and that you never needed to buy my friendship because the best gift you ever gave me was the birthday that you played superheroes in the yard with me.

There are going to be days when other people doubt you, Chlo, and you know you deserve it. There are even going to be days when you doubt yourself. But I promise that the road you're on now is _worth_ it.

Someday, you're going to look back on this, and you're going to remember.

And you're going to smile.

* * *

(I haven't seen S3 yet but I recently rewatched all of S1 and you can pry Chloé and Adrien's childhood friendship from my COLD DEAD HANDS. Oh, and reviews are appreciated :3)


End file.
